Louis Oosthuizen picked up four birdies on his opening nine on Friday in the PGA Tour’s Waste Management Phoenix Open as he signed for a four-under 67 to move to a share of 21st on six-under-par, six off the lead.
Although he made two bogeys coming home, he also made two birdies on the back nine, and he finds himself six shots off the lead held by Xander Schauffele of the United States. He is, in turn, one stroke clear of Steve Stricker and Keegan Bradley.
Oosthuizen’s approach play on that opening nine was immaculate, as he left himself short putts for three of the four birdies he made. The fourth was on the par-five third, where he hit the green in two, and left his approach putt from nearly 60 feet just three feet away and made the birdie putt.
Behind him, Dylan Frittelli’s two-under was in vain, as he moved to two-under for the tournament and saw the cut falling at three-under. Likewise, a good second round of four-under for Erik van Rooyen was not enough to see him into the weekend as he too reached 36 holes in two-under.
Rory Sabbatini was even better in his second round with a seven-under 64, but he was unable to reverse the damage done by his opening six-over 77 and exited the tournament at one-under.
